A good question. One that deserves a good answer if you happen to be a professional copywriter and feel you should defend your professional status.
On the face of it, there doesn't appear to be any good reason. After all, we can all think; we can all write (?), and there's no-one that understands the industry you are in better than you. So if someone is going to write a piece of text to be sent out to customers or prospects, promoting your products or services, the obvious answer should be - do it yourself.
Right, so that's settled. Hang on a second though - is there something nagging at the back of your mind? Invariably there's a lot resting on how good the response is from your communication. And why is it that all the big companies who do a lot in the way of direct marketing or email marketing employ a copywriter - or teams of copywriters? And what exactly is it that gets done differently to make a web page more friendly for those pesky little searchbots?
The easiest thing in the world to do with an unsolicited piece of mail is to throw it away. In fact, it has to be said that it is the most common reaction. By far. The trick is to get a few recipients to read what you've written - and we are dealing with single figure percentages here - don't get carried away….
The best I have ever achieved is an 8.6% response rate, measured by the use of a voucher for money off a product (there are special reasons for that kind of hit rate, but that's a story for another time).
So how do you give your offer the best chance of being appreciated and taken up by your audience? Like so many other aspects of business, it's a skill. Don't get me wrong, you may have a penchant for doing this kind of work - but be warned: you may start reading up on the subject and find yourself getting more and more engrossed in it until you eventually find yourself in my position - a copywriter!
There are several variables to creating good copy, and if you've actually read this to its conclusion, (I'm honoured), you might be interested enough to pop back here in a few days to read further articles which will go more into what these variables are, and how to apply them. In the meantime, if you are going to write your own copy, I hope it goes well for you. If you want someone to do the job for you, or even to talk about a possible campaign you're considering, please consider contacting me to discuss your requirements - I'd be delighted to help in any way I can.
Rob Hartley, an experienced marketer now working freelance, has created copy for: direct mail, radio scripts, brochures, pos, and also websites and htmls using SEO techniques. For any help in these areas, please visit www.omniscriptor.co.uk
